Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 20. Karl-Anthony Towns
Karl-Anthony Towns is easy to undersell or overlook. The Timberwolves continue to stumble and fumble along the bottom rung of the Western Conference, despite Towns’ best efforts to lead them elsewhere. You can point to Minnesota’s troubles and blame KAT, but it’s more prudent to blame the roster around him. Towns recently called himself the best shooting big man of all time. The numbers back it up. He’s such a singular offensive talent, and the defense has caught up in recent years. He’s deserving of this top-20 spot.
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 19. Kyrie Irving
Kyrie Irving’s return to action is slated for sometime in the next couple weeks. We will see how he adjusts after such a long layoff, but last season, Irving was one of the NBA’s prolific guard scorers and a member of the lofty 50/40/90 club. His ball skills and shooter’s touch are beyond reproach.
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 18. Zion Williamson
Injuries continue to stunt the career arc of Zion Williamson, who made the All-Star team and averaged 27.0 points in just his second NBA season. The former No. 1 pick is possibly the most efficient volume scorer in basketball when he’s healthy. That said, he needs to A) be on the floor more and B) learn to put his immeasurable physical gifts to use on the defensive end.
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 17. Trae Young
Trae Young certainly hasn’t regressed. The Hawks have been inundated with injuries and inconsistencies, but one thing is clear — Young is a superstar, and he’s going to keep Atlanta in the playoffs conversation for a long time. He has added more diversity to his scoring repertoire this season, with an elevated in-between game to complement his deep 3-point range, deadly floater, and telepathic playmaking instincts.
Ranking the top 100 NBA players — 16. Rudy Gobert
Rudy Gobert is the most dominant individual defender in the NBA. No one can single-handedly anchor a successful defensive scheme quite like Gobert. He completely changes the chemistry of opposing offenses, deterring even the most confident drivers. He’s also an elite rebounder and roll man, finishing 71.3 percent of his shot attempts.